Are you at wits end from sacrificing other expenses to pay car insurance each month? You are in the same boat as many other California drivers.
It’s an obvious statement that insurance companies don’t want you comparing rates. Insureds who shop around annually are very likely to switch to a new company because they have good chances of finding a policy with better rates. A recent car insurance study revealed that drivers who regularly compared rates saved $850 each year compared to other drivers who never shopped around for cheaper prices.
If finding the lowest rates on auto insurance in Irvine is your objective, knowing the best way to shop and compare cheaper coverage can help you be more efficient.
Popular companies such as State Farm and GEICO all promote huge savings with advertising and it can be hard to ignore the flashy ads and take the time to shop coverage around.
It’s a great practice to price shop coverage before your policy renews because car insurance prices go up and down regularly. Just because you found the best deal on Kia Forte insurance in Irvine six months ago other companies may now be cheaper. There are a lot of ways to save on Forte insurance out there, but you can learn a lot of great tips on how to reduce your car insurance bill.
What Determines Kia Forte Insurance Premiums?
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that aid in calculating the rates you pay for insurance. If you understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with lower insurance prices.
Shown below are most of the major factors used by insurance companies to determine your rate level.
- Do you know you’re credit rating? – Having a good credit score can be a huge factor in calculating your insurance rates. If your credit score can be improved, you could potentially save money when insuring your Kia Forte by improving your credit score. Insureds with very high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with lower ratings.
- Safer the car lower the rate – Cars with high safety ratings tend to be cheaper to insure. Vehicles engineered for safety reduce occupant injuries and any reduction in injury severity means less claims paid which can result in lower premiums. If your Kia scored at minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website you may pay a lower rate.
-
Men pay higher rates – Over time, data shows that females take fewer risks when driving. However, don’t assume that males are worse at driving than females. Both sexes have accidents at about the same rate, but the men have costlier accidents. Not only are claims higher, but men get ticketed for serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers tend to get in the most accidents and therefore have the most expensive insurance rates.
The example below visualizes the comparison of Kia Forte car insurance costs for male and female drivers. The rate quotes are based on no accidents or driving violations, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are factored in.
- Single vs. married – Having a spouse actually saves money on your insurance bill. Having a significant other is viewed as being more financially stable and insurance companies reward insureds because married couples file fewer claims.
- You may save more by bundling policies – Some insurance companies provide lower prices to insureds who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. If you currently are using one company, you still need to compare other Irvine Forte insurance rates to help guarantee you have the best rates.There is a good possibility that you can find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
- Cheaper premiums for prior coverage – Going without insurance will be a quick way to bump up your insurance costs. Not only will rates go up, being ticketed for driving with no insurance might get you a steep fine or even jail time. Then you may be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the California DMV.
- Employer stress can make you pay more – Jobs such as military personnel, architects, and dentists tend to pay the highest rates due to intense work requirements and lots of time spent at work. Conversely, jobs like actors, athletes and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
- Extra coverages are wasting money – Insurance companies have many extra coverages that you can buy when buying insurance. Things like roadside assistance, accidental death, and Farm Bureau memberships may not be needed and are just wasting money. They may seem like a good idea when discussing your needs, but if they’re wasting money consider taking them off your policy.
-
Kia Forte claim data – Auto insurance companies analyze claim trends for every vehicle to help determine the rate you pay. Vehicles that are shown to have increased losses will cost more for coverage. The table below shows the collected loss data for Kia Forte vehicles.
For each type of coverage, the statistical loss for all vehicles, as an average, is represented as 100. Percentage numbers below 100 suggest a better than average loss history, while percentage numbers above 100 indicate a higher chance of having a claim or an increased chance of larger losses than average.
Auto Insurance Loss Data for Kia Forte Models Specific Kia Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Kia Forte 114 117 103 176 183 144 Kia Forte 114 98 147 Kia Forte 102 102 86 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEEmpty fields indicate not enough data collected
Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Rates and information analytics
The price information shown below showcases detailed analysis of coverage prices for Kia Forte models. Knowing how insurance policy rates are figured can assist in making smart buying decisions.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Forte LX 4-Dr Sedan | $238 | $374 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,242 | $104 |
Forte EX 4-Dr Sedan | $238 | $374 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,242 | $104 |
Forte SX 4-Dr Sedan | $270 | $454 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,354 | $113 |
Forte EX 2-Dr Coupe | $270 | $536 | $524 | $32 | $156 | $1,518 | $127 |
Forte SX 2-Dr Coupe | $270 | $536 | $524 | $32 | $156 | $1,518 | $127 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Prices above based on married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Premium costs do not factor in vehicle location which can impact coverage prices considerably.
Analysis of deductible levels
When shopping for auto insurance, a common question is how low should you set your deductibles. The comparisons below illustrate how much more rates are between high and low physical damage coverage deductibles. The first set of rates uses a $250 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second price table uses a $1,000 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Forte LX 4-Dr Sedan | $342 | $472 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,439 | $120 |
Forte EX 4-Dr Sedan | $342 | $472 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,439 | $120 |
Forte SX 4-Dr Sedan | $386 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,587 | $132 |
Forte EX 2-Dr Coupe | $386 | $678 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,769 | $147 |
Forte SX 2-Dr Coupe | $386 | $678 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,769 | $147 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Forte LX 4-Dr Sedan | $210 | $298 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,108 | $92 |
Forte EX 4-Dr Sedan | $210 | $298 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,108 | $92 |
Forte SX 4-Dr Sedan | $238 | $362 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,200 | $100 |
Forte EX 2-Dr Coupe | $238 | $426 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,344 | $112 |
Forte SX 2-Dr Coupe | $238 | $426 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,344 | $112 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data variables include married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and homeowner. Price estimates do not factor in specific location information which can raise or lower coverage prices substantially.
We can estimate from the data above that using a $250 deductible will cost you approximately $31 more each month or $372 each year than quoting the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $750 more to file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you normally go more than 24 months between claims, you would save more money if you elect the higher deductible.
The example below illustrates how your choice of deductibles and can increase or decrease Kia Forte insurance rates for different age groups. The costs are based on a single male driver, full coverage, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Drive responsibly or pay higher rates
The information below highlights how speeding tickets and fender-benders can drive up Kia Forte insurance premiums for each different age group. The rate quotes are based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
Kia Forte liability rates compared to full coverage
The diagram below shows the difference between Kia Forte insurance prices when comparing full coverage to state minimum liability only. The prices are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are factored in.
When to drop comprehensive and collision
There is no definitive guideline for excluding comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than around 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
For example, let’s assume your Kia Forte book value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most your company will settle for is $4,000 after paying your deductible. If you are paying more than $400 annually for comprehensive and collision coverage, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
There are some cases where dropping physical damage coverage is not a good plan. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not eliminate full coverage.
Cheap Kia Forte insurance in Irvine
Not too many consumers would say auto insurance is affordable, but you might be missing out on some discounts to help offset the cost. A few discounts will be applied at the time of purchase, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for prior to receiving the credit.
- Air Bag Discount – Factory options such as air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts of 20 to 30 percent.
- Defensive Driving Course – Taking a safe driver course could save 5% or more if your company offers it.
- Accident Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories are rewarded with significantly better rates on Irvine auto insurance quote when compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are much safer to drive and will save you 10% or more on Forte insurance in Irvine.
- Early Signing – Some auto insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them before your current Forte insurance policy expires. It can save you around 10%.
- Sign Online – Many insurance companies may give you up to $50 for completing your application online.
- Full Payment Discount – By making one initial payment instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Federal Government Employee – Federal government employees could qualify for a slight premium decrease with certain companies.
- Active Military Service – Having a deployed family member may lower your auto insurance rates slightly.
- Theft Prevention System – Anti-theft and alarm system equipped vehicles can help prevent theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. Even though it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, you’re out of luck. But all discounts will help lower the amount you pay for coverage.
The illustration below shows the difference between Kia Forte insurance rates with and without policy discounts. The premiums are based on a male driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, multi-car, and marriage discounts applied.
Insurance companies who might offer some of the discounts shown above are:
Before you buy a policy, ask all the companies the best way to save money. Depending on the company, some discounts may not be offered everywhere. To locate companies that offer many of these discounts in California, click this link.
Car insurance company ratings
Insuring your vehicle with the top car insurance provider is difficult considering how many companies there are in California. The ranking information listed below may help you decide which auto insurers you want to consider when shopping your coverage around.
Top 10 Irvine Car Insurance Companies Overall
- USAA
- American Family
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive
Top 10 Irvine Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- Titan Insurance – 95%
- USAA – 94%
- AAA of Southern California – 92%
- AAA Insurance – 91%
- Nationwide – 90%
- State Farm – 90%
- The Hartford – 89%
- GEICO – 89%
- The General – 88%
- 21st Century – 88%
Do the work, save more money
In this article, we presented many tips how you can reduce Kia Forte insurance premium rates online in Irvine. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher your chance of finding affordable Irvine auto insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the most savings is with some of the smallest insurance companies.
Some insurance providers don’t offer price quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through independent agencies. Lower-priced Kia Forte insurance in Irvine is attainable from both online companies in addition to local insurance agencies, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money.
Insureds switch companies for any number of reasons including being labeled a high risk driver, extreme rates for teen drivers, not issuing a premium refund or policy cancellation. It doesn’t matter what your reason, choosing a new insurance company is not as hard as you think.
Steps to finding better rates for Kia Forte insurance in Irvine
The best way we recommend to get budget Kia Forte insurance is to compare prices regularly from insurers that sell auto insurance in Irvine.
Step 1: Try to comprehend how car insurance works and the measures you can control to drop your rates. Many things that result in higher prices like getting speeding tickets and a negative credit score can be remedied by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
Step 2: Compare prices from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can give quotes from one company like GEICO and Allstate, while independent agencies can provide price quotes from multiple companies. View insurance agents
Step 3: Compare the price quotes to the price on your current policy to see if a cheaper rate is available in Irvine. If you can save money and change companies, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
Step 4: Provide notification to your current company of your intention to cancel the current policy and submit a down payment and signed policy application to your new insurance company. Don’t forget to safely store the certificate verifying coverage in an easily accessible location.
One thing to remember is to use the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on every quote request and and to get rate quotes from every insurance company. Doing this provides a level playing field and and a good selection of different prices.
More information can be read below:
- State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)
- What Insurance is Cheapest with Multiple Speeding Tickets in Irvine? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes for 16 Year Olds in Irvine? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Teenage Males in Irvine? (FAQ)
- Preventing Carjacking and Theft (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Determines the Price of My Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Anti-Lock Brake FAQ (iihs.org)